


two paper bills

by orphan_account



Category: X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, First Meetings, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Unbeta'd, idk what this is but here ya go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:35:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22690099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “I’m fucked” is the first thing Hangyul breathes out as he sadly looks at his bank account’s balance.
Relationships: Kim Wooseok | Wooshin/Lee Hangyul
Kudos: 44





	two paper bills

The first time Hangyul meets _him_ is when he’s a broke university student. 

Hangyul has been practicing for several hours, preparing for his assessment performance due Tuesday next week, when the alarm inside the dance studio rings at exactly 11PM. He downs his bottle of water, changes his shirt and picks up his bag, deciding to call it a day as he thinks of eating ramen in his apartment, all curled up beneath the warmth of his blankets, and watching movies until he drops.

He is walking, headed towards home that Saturday night, when he spots a man slumped by the roadside, pouring the contents out of his bag and having _quite_ a loud phone conversation. 

“I shaid I dun hab it!” The said stranger shouts, picking up his phone charger scattered among other things on the floor and waving it in the air as he drunkenly continues, “When I got out of the bar, I-I put my wallet in my bag... ugh, I can’t find my wallet right now…”

 _Woah, he’s so drunk_ , Hangyul remarks as he nears him. He wonders just how much the stranger drank to the point that he had lost his wallet. 

“I shaid I dun eben hab a shingle penny…”

The stranger’s voice is so loud that he can’t help but overhear everything he says, even when he's a few meters away. Should he help him? He stops in his tracks and takes out his own wallet, shifting through its contents. He has only three 10,000 won bills left. One taxi ride costs 3,800 won at the very least, and he doesn’t know how far the man’s place is. 

He really doesn’t understand why he bothers himself with this stranger so much – he knows he doesn’t have to; but he also knows he won’t be able to calmly get through the night knowing he left someone too drunk and pitiful like him alone when he could’ve helped him. Plus, yeah, it’s pretty scary at night.

Hangyul chooses the most logical thing to do (for him) at that moment, as he heaves a deep breath, and starts his footsteps.

The next thing he knows, he finds himself handing the stranger a 10,000 won bill, his hand stretched out in front of him as he slightly bends down. “Excuse me,” Hangyul tries to grab his attention. “Take this. Get yourself a cab home.”

“What?” The man sharply turns his head to look up at him, squinting his eyes in the process. He then pushes Hangyul’s hand away. “Leeb me alone."

Hangyul awkwardly smiles. Sure enough, he is taken aback at how gorgeous the stranger looks up close, with his cheeks all flushed in a deep shade of pink, but he pushes the thought to the back of his mind. The man's drunk for fuck's sake; this isn't the right time, place and situation to have a crush on him. 

(At least, that's what he tells himself. He figures his ears probably look just as red as the stranger is.)

"Don't be like that. Just take this to get home," he nudges him with the money in his hand.

The stranger rolls his eyes then flicks his wavering gaze back at him. "But, my houshe ish far, far, far, far away."

"Oh," Hangyul lets out an awkward chuckle, "really..." _Damn_.

He hesitates for a second, his eyes snapping back from the drunk man in front of him to the wallet on his other hand. He eventually pulls out another bill. 

"20,000 won should be enough, right?"

"Yay!" The stranger snatches the two bills held out in front of him with both of his hands; his fists curving into balls as he places them on each top side of his head. The money crumples in between his hands, his hair a complete mess underneath. He cutely bows his head at him, mumbling a prolonged _thank you_. "I got 20,000 won," he chants twice as he giggles, gently swaying his head to the left and the right. "Oh, right," the stranger stops, barely managing to keep his eyes open, but he miraculously does anyway. "Gib me your number, 'mkay?" He pouts, even pointing his index finger at Hangyul, "I'll call you tomorrow!"

“I’m fucked” is the first thing Hangyul breathes out the next morning, as he sadly looks at his bank account’s balance– a grand total of 2,700 won.

He plops back down to his bed, and glances at the clock on his side table. It reads 8:27.

"UGHHH I MUST BE CRAZY!" He rubs his face with his hands once, then starts wiggling like a mad worm on top of his bed, making his pillows bounce and fall to the floor.

"I'm broke, why did I help him?!" He shuffles on either side so fast, even rolling back and forth, until he eventually stops moving, spending the last of his energy.

He breathes heavily as he looks at his white ceiling. "I still have 3 days before I get my allowance..."

_Ting!_

A message ringtone suddenly interrupts his thoughts. He flicks his gaze at the phone in his left hand - he almost forgot he was clutching his phone the whole time, good thing he didn't throw it - opens it, and reads:

 **_Unknown number:_ ** _Can we meet today?_

"So... What's your name?" Hangyul starts as he looks at the man sitting opposite of him, wearing a white button-up shirt, its longsleeves rolled up to his elbows. He subtly glances down to his own clothes, wishing he had worn better ones than the white t-shirt and jeans he has put on.

They are currently seated on a table for two in front of a coffee stall, bathing in the glow of sunlight as they wait for the drinks they had ordered.

"I'm Wooseok," the man smiles at him, fixing his black-rimmed round glasses up the bridge of his nose; he didn't wear those last night, Hangyul notes. "Kim Wooseok."

"Ah... I'm Lee Hangyul," he smiles back. Hangyul can't help but notice how the said man looks even more beautiful sober, his pink lips curving into a gentle smile, and his large doe eyes locking gazes with his own.

Wait.

_Oh shit._

Hangyul feels the flush creep up his face as it dawns on him - Wooseok has caught him staring. He instantly fakes a cough, bowing slightly to avoid his eyes as he continues, "Nice to meet you."

He hears Wooseok let out a small chuckle, before he sees him lean forward, both of his arms now crossed on top of the table. 

"By the way... " Wooseok eagerly starts. "How can you lend a money to a complete stranger?"

"Oh, that," Hangyul looks up, causing him to meet his eyes again, but he quickly looks away from Wooseok. "Well, I was just passing by but you were-"

"I looked hideous, right?" Wooseok continues his words.

"No, no no, you were very pretty," Hangyul immediately blurts out, waving both of his hands in front of him in disagreement. His eyes widen when he realizes what he just said. "I mean, um, and handsome!"

"Oh?" Wooseok seems too amused by his answer, too much that Hangyul thinks he must've offended him. 

Wooseok opens his mouth to speak again when their names got called - to Hangyul's relief - making him stop as the latter quickly gets up to his feet to fetch their drinks.

Hangyul has just finished setting down the drinks on the table when Wooseok remembers why he has asked to meet him today. "Oh right, I'll pay you back," he says as he reaches for his pocket, taking out two folded 10,000 won bills out of it. 

Hangyul wants to say no, that it's okay, and that he doesn't have to pay him back. It was a simple act of kindness. Human decency, to be honest. But as broke as he is right now, he has no choice but to shamelessly accept it. 

He quietly nods and takes the money, when Wooseok speaks again. "So, what do you want for lunch?"

"Huh?"

"My treat."

"Oh," Hangyul shakes his head, smiling, "it's alright."

"I insist," Wooseok immediately says, clasping his own hands together, "please?"

Hangyul sighs, unable to resist the bundle of cuteness in front of him. "Fine, but I'll treat you." He bits his lower lip after, wishing he had just stop talking right after the 'fine' part. 

His regret vanishes almost instantly, though, when he sees Wooseok's eyes beam at him. _Oh, well..._ Something cheap should be fine, right?

"Do you like Chinese noodles?"

"Nope," Wooseok grins.

Hangyul watches as Wooseok happily slices through a beef steak, puts it in his mouth, and chews on it, sitting by the window in a restaurant a few blocks away from the park they went to earlier.

"Are you a vegetarian?" Wooseok asks Hangyul, who is, instead, currently feasting on just a bowl of vegetable salad, opposite of him.

"Oh, um," Hangyul chews on his food as he pauses, thinking of some excuse he could make up to cover his true intention. "It seemed like I gained weight lately... so yeah, I'm on a diet."

Wooseok's large eyes innocently looks at him. "Didn't you ask to eat Chinese noodles earlier?" 

"H-huh?" He clears his throat and flicks his gaze to the random passersby through the window. "Ah! I was going to eat pickled radish," he smiles, and nods to Wooseok's plate. "Don't mind me and keep eating."

He goes back to eating the vegetable salad in front of him, quietly sticking his fork through the leaves as he anxiously tallies how much this lunch date (is this a date?) would cost him. 

He currently has a total of 32,700 won, his cash on-hand and his balance combined. The steak is worth 25,500 won, plus his salad that costs 5,900 won. Subtract all of that and he will still have 1,300 won left. _Still good, still_ _safe._

Hangyul breathes a sigh of relief.

But then, unfortunately, and apparently, he overdoes it. He chokes on his food all of a sudden, coughing nonstop. Wooseok panics, immediately asking if he is okay, and raising his hand to order an ade for him when his coughing doesn't stop. 

And maybe, that has just worsened his coughing even more – for obvious reasons. 

"No, just water. Water," Hangyul continuously slaps the table with his hand, the other covering his mouth, as he tries hard to speak in between coughs.

Right then, one of the waiters hands a glass of ade to Wooseok. Hangyul has never had a bad thing for fast service before, but right now, he might just resent it.

Wooseok offers the glass to him, saying, "If something gets stuck in your throat, you need to drink carbonated drinks."

Hangyul looks at him, then to the glass of ade in his hands, before taking it. He mentally accounts for his total expense again as he takes a long sip. The ade costs 5,700 won, and he almost whimpers when he realizes he's now 4,400 won short. 

"Excuse me for a second," Hangyul smiles as he puts down the glass, slightly bowing to him before standing up to head to the comfort room. He is sure as hell his smile looked like he's suffering from constipation instead of happiness, though.

_Hah... What the heck am I doing...?_

"It's urgent, hyung," Hangyul says over the phone as he leans on one side against the wall of the comfort room. "Mom won't give me either..."

He shifts to his back so that he leans completely against the wall. "Come on, hyung. Think of it as if you're giving me next month's allowance early... Okay, just let me borrow then. I'll pay you– Hello? Hyung? Hyung? Wow," Hangyul exhales, "he really hung up on me."

What should Hangyul do then? "I don't have money..." Maybe he could get his account charge instead. Do they do that here?

Hangyul sighs as he goes out of the comfort room and hesitantly walks to the counter. It won't hurt to try, right? "Excuse me..."

The woman by the counter looks at him. "Yes? Do you need anything?"

"Um," Hangyul bits his lips, "this might sound awkward but... Can you charge my account if I give my ID?"

"Hm?" Confused, the woman then smiles, recognizing him. "Ah, your table—"

"I already paid for it."

He turns around to look at Wooseok, who seems to be smiling somewhat shyly, standing a few steps behind him.

They are walking by the roadside that night when Wooseok stops and turns to face him, his skin seeming to glow under the bright street light. "Thank you." He pauses, biting his lip to contain his smile.

"For what?" 

"For, um, today... and for yesterday."

Hangyul smiles. "It's nothing. And wait," he reaches for his pocket and hands him the two paper bills Wooseok gave him from earlier. "I feel like I should give your 20,000 won back."

"Ah," Wooseok chuckles, and shakes his head. "Don't worry about it."

Hangyul looks down to the money on his own hand, not quite convinced as he already feels guilty for offering and not paying for their lunch. 

Wooseok quietly watches him, and heaves a sigh. "Actually..." He waits for Hangyul to meet his eyes. "I want to see you again so I paid for it."

Hangyul blinks, dumbfounded for a moment. Did he just hear that? _Yes_. Did his heart suddenly beat three- no, four times faster? _Yes_. Did he say anything? _No_. He just stares at him for a moment, opening his mouth to speak but closes them again without uttering a single word.

"With that money," Wooseok continues, smiling, his eyes bright as he flicks his gaze from the bills back to him, "let's watch a movie next weekend."

Hangyul can't stop the smile that forms on his lips, too, as he mumbles, "sure."

"Hm?" Wooseok teases. (He heard it the first time, but he can't help it - a shy Hangyul is too adorable. And, of course, he simply wants to hear it again.)

"I said okay..." Hangyul chuckles.

"What?" 

"You heard it!"

"Again...?"

"..."

"Hangyul?" Wooseok is grinning, and Hangyul has half a mind to think how _truly_ beautiful the man is.

"Yes, yes. Sure. I'd love to."

**Author's Note:**

> i miss gyulcat :< happy valentines!
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/seokgyuls) but kinda ia rn //sighs


End file.
